Circular-knitting machine



4Shee1is-'Sheet 1. I

(No Model.)

W. H. ZELLERS. CIRCULAR KNITTING- MACHINE.

Patented May 31,1892.

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(No Mndel.) 4'Sheets.-Sheet 2.

W. H. ZELLERS. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. H. ZELLERS. GIRGULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented May 31,1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Slleet 4. W. H. ZELLERS. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented May 31, 1892.

M M /G UNITEE STATES PATENT FFICE.

TILLIAM I-I. ZELLERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,110, dated May 31, 1892.

Application filed June 16, 1891.

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. ZELLERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l, Sheet l, is a central vertical section of a knitting-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a full transverse section as on the line ab, Fig. l. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a diagrammatic view of the lingers or bits for controlling the positions of certain needles. Fig. 4E is an elevation of the needle-cylinder detached, showing thesame partially equipped with needles, bits, duc. Fig. 5, Sheet 4:, is a vertical section through one side of the needle-cylinder and the camcarriage, showing a needle and bit or finger in position, the needle having. just reached the summit of the side cam. Fig. 6 is a similar section showing the position the needle is caused to assume when the bit or nger is drawn down. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the cam-carriage detached, showing the knitting-cams therein. Fig. 8 is bottom view of the cam-supporting annulus and the sliding cam-ring thereon. Fig. 9 is a plan of a protective ring removed from the cam-carriage. Figs. 10 to 14, both inclusive, Sheet 2, are details of the cam and pawl-andratchet devices for controlling the bit or iinger operating mechanism.

This invention relates more particularly to circular-knitting machines of the well-known latch-needle type; and its object, mainly, is to effect automatically the requisite movements of the needles into and out of action with the knitting-cams during the process of widening and narrowing the web-as, for eX- ample, while knitting the heel and toe portions of a stocking.

The invention consists, primarily, in th combination, with a needle cylinder or bed and its needles, of a series of finger or slide devices arranged as described in respect to a predetermined number of needles and adapted through the medium of suitable coacting mechanism to throw the needles at given periods into and out of operative position.

The invention consists, also, in various Serial No. 396,419. (No model.)

novel constructions whereby advantages are gained, as will be hereinafter explained.

Referring to the annexed drawings, A represents the needle-cylinder and B the needles therein.

C is the bed-plate; D,a flanged annulus rotatably supported thereon; E, the knittingcams mounted on said annulus; F, a revoluble cylinder or carriage secured to the latter and provided with the lower bevel'toothed edge f, with which is geared the usual driving bevelwheel G.

I-I is the yarn-guide.

As is well known to knitting artisans if all the needles in a needle-cylinder be in operative position and the knitting-cams be rotated (yarn, of course, being properly fed to the needles) a plain tube-will be formed; but if, on the other hand, a number of needles covering a space not less than the actual width of the knitting-cams be thrown up out of action, so as to permit of the reversal ofthe direction of movement of the cams at the end of each stroke thereof, and if during each reverse action the initial active needle be thrown up out of operation, the successive courses of the fabric will be gradually narrowed, and if upon the completion of the narrowing operation the series of idlewneedles thus occasioned be returned in inverse order to their active position the fabric will be widened, whereupon if those needles first thrown out of action be returned to their original or operative condition a plain tube may be formed as before. These narrowing and widening opera` tions are followed in knitting the heel and toe part-s of stockings, the tubular knitting actions being practiced in the formation of the leg and foot portions thereof.

In ordinary circnlar-knitting machines the needles are manipulated by hand in carrying out the widening and narrowing operations, while in some later machines automatic devices have been employed for effecting the requisite movements of the needles in such cases. These automatic devices, however, are not at all times positive in their action. They require nice fitting and adjustment and are thus easily disordered, besides they are expensive.

By a novel construction and arrangement of mechanism free from the objections just ICO mentioned I am enabled to operate the neethe following description: The needle-cylinder A is made somewhat longer than heretofore-that is to say, its lower portion is extended. Those grooves or ways a in which are contained the needles that are manipulated during the widening and narrowing process are made much deeper than the others, the additional inout of each groove being run down to or nearly to the lower end of the cylinder, as seen at a. Fitted in the needlegrooves a so as to be vertically movable therein is a corresponding series of fingers or bits I, the width of each of which is equal to the additional incut of the grooves. The upper ends of these fingers extend up back of the needle-shanks, so as to maintain the needle-heels in engagement with the knitting-cams. All the needle-grooves in the usual head A of the cylinder are of a uniform depth, so that the upper ends of the several needles are guided vertically. The needles are held against the fingers by spring-pressure, so that if said fingers be drawn down below the heels of the needles the latter will be forced backward into their grooves, thereby throwing the heels out of the path of the knitting-cams. (See Fig. 6.)

A means which I have devised to effect this outthrowing of the needles is illustrated in Figs, 1,4, 5,and G of the drawings, as follows: J is a piece of wire bent into a yoke or hairpin form, the connecting member of which is just of sufficient width to straddle the rib between a pair of needle-grooves. Cut round the periphery of the needle-cylinder, immediately above the usual recess for the encircling spring-band c2, is a groove a3, to which is fitted in alternate ribs of the cylinder the connecting members of a series of these yoke-wires, the parallel members thereof thus being suspended in the grooves contiguous to the opposed needle-shanks. The band a2 encircles these yoke-wires and acts to Vforce them yieldinglyinward, the lower ends of the wires bearing against the respective needles, so as to impart to them t-he requisite inward pressure. By this construction any or all of the wires may be removed or replaced as occasion may inder with these yoke-wires, so that not only willthe bit-controlled needles be acted upon thereby, but also the remaining needles, the latter being pressed by the wires against the walls of the grooves. In this way liability of the jumping of the needles in their grooves just after they are acted upon by the knittingcams is obviated. "he fingers orbits consist each of a steel shank of proper length provided with a butt or projection t' at its lower end and with a bevel or incline at its upper end. These butts en gage a peripheral groove 7c in a segment K, partially surrounding the needle-cylinder just below the bed-plate C of the machine, whereby when said segment is moved vertically by means of mechanismsuch as thathereinafter described-the fingers are simultaneously affected. The fingers or bits occupying the space from 1 to 2,Fig. 2- that is, ordinarily about one-half the circumference of the needle-cylinder are uniform in length, their upper ends extending normally to about the plane or path traversed by the top of the central V-cam c', so that when the needles are at their highest point-4. e., upon the summit of the side cams c-said fingers maintain the needlesin action. If, however, the fingers be drawn down to or below the plane of the summits of said cams, the needles supported by these fingers will be freed therefrom when the needles are successively raised to their highest point during the rotation of the knitting-cams. The fingers occupying the spaces 8 1 and 4 2 on the otherportion of the vcylinder (said spaces being each usually-about one-third the remaining part of the eylinders circumference) are graded in length, those in each set being gradually increased in height from the central or uniform set of fingers just described-that is to say, the upper end of the first finger in the graded set extends above the fingers in the uniform seta distance equal to the extent of drop or movement requisite movement of the respective needles from the path traversed by the knitting-cams. In this way narrowing of the web will result. This done, if the fingers be correspondingly moved upward the needles in each series will be thrown thereby in reverse orderinto engagement with the cams, thus effecting a widening of the web. The final upward action will cause the uniform set of fingers to operate on the first outthrown series of needles, in that way returning the latter simultaneously to their original or active position.

In Fig. 8, for clearer illustration, I have represented the three sets or series of fingers require. I prefer to surround the needle-cyli on a flat plane, the dotted lines, together with the numerals, indicating the successive positions assumed by the fingers.

Although the devices for lowering or raising the finger-supporting segment K step by step during the reciprocation of the knitting-cams in the widening and narrowing operation may be of any proper construction, yet I prefer to use for this purpose a mechanism of the following description: L is avertical rack which is fixed at its upper end to a lug on the segment K. Gearing with this rack is a pinion Z, which is keyed fast on a transverse shaft Z', mounted in suitable bearings in the forward extension m of a bracket M. This bracket is bolted firmly to a shelf N or other proper support, and to it (the bracket) thebed-plate of the IOC ITO

machine is fastened. The extension of the bracket is suitably recessed, as at m',`to receive the pinion and the rack, the walls of the recess serving as a guide and support for the latter in its vertical movement. The shaft Z' extends outwardly' beyond one side of the machine, and it (the shaft) has secured thereto two ratchet-wheels P P', Fig. 2, the teeth of which are inclined in opposite directions, as shown. G represents the usual driving-shaft, to which the bevel-gear G is fixed. Mounted on this shaft, about in line g g' of peculiar construction, with which cams lengage the forward ends of two arms O O',

respectively, that are loosely mounted or pivoted at their rear ends on the shaft l. One of these arms O engages with the top of one of the cams g, while the other arm O' engages with the bottom of the other cam c', the two arms lbeing maintained in action with therespective cams by means of a spiral spring o2, connecting said arms. The working contour of the cams is such that these arms are vibrated during the reciprocation of the driving-shaft under certain conditions, hereinafter described. Pivoted on said arms are pawls p p', respectively, which are normally held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchetwheels P P', respectively, by means of suitable springs 192. Said pawls are each provided with a rear or cam portion p3, which, when the pawl is thrown out of action with its ratchet, is acted upon by the spring p2 to hold the pawl in the inactive position. By this construction when both pawls are in tho active position their supporting-arms cannot be operated upon by the cams g g'; but if one of said pawls be thrown out of action both arms will be operated upon, the active pawl being caused by its vibrating supporting-arm to work against the teeth of the opposed ratchet, thereby advancing the latter step by step and perforce correspondingly moving the pinion, which in turn operates the rack and the parts connected therewith. Vhen the ratchet P' is actuated, the rack, segment, &c., are lowered, and when the other ratchet P is turned said parts are raised. The cams g g' are provided with recessed flanges g2, which are secured together, a collar g3 being interposed. This collar is fastened to the shaft G', so as to prevent lateral displacement of the cams and at the same time to permit of their free rotation. forated radially, as at g4, for the passage of a shouldered pin q, the inner end of which is projected normally by means of a spring q' into a recess g5 in the collar g3, thus conditionally connecting the cams'with said collar. The pin is provided with a lateral stud q2, which takes in a slot (13 in the periphery of the flange, so that if the pin be retracted from the collar the stud will be. withdrawn i" rom the slot, and then by slightly turning the pin the stud will be moved onto the periphery of the flange, thereby retaining the pin re- The flanges are per- `tracted. To return the pin to its former or actuated at the beginning of each stroke, there being some lost motion, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. The acting faces of the cams are identical; but owing to the opposite positions of the arms O O they are disposed in diametrically-opposite positions. Thesefaces each comprise a blank or concentric portion r, a rise or cam portion r', and a higher concentric portion frz. The working ends of the arms normally rest upon the concentric portions r of the respective cams, as seen. The parts?n r2 of each cam are connected by a straight portion frs, against which bears the end of the arm. During the operation of the cams the end .of that arm which carries the inactive pawl rides up upon the straight portion r3 of the proper cam, while the end of that arm which carries the active pawl engages the straight portion of the other cam in a manner hereinafter described.

To knit tubular work, assuming the fingers orbits to be in their eXtreme upward position, the spring-pin is disengaged from the collar on the shaft G', so as to free the cams g g therefrom, as above mentioned. Thus the shaft may be rotated without operating said cams and the parts controlled thereby. To fashion a heel or toe, however, the cams are turned to the part .fr of the needle-cylinder. The spring-pin is then engaged with the collar g3, so as to lock the cams on the shaft, and the upper pawl is then thrown out of action with its ratchet. This done the cam-carrier is rotated in the direction of the arrow marked y, Fig. 2, and while the knitting-cams are traversing that space @c a: of the cylinder in which there are no slide-fingers the rise portion r of the cam g' comes into play and forces the arm O' outward. The active pawl on the arm O' thereupon turns its ratchet P a distance of one tooth. This movement, as before explained, acts through the intermediate devices to draw down the fingers one step, the lingers in the uniform series being thus moved to or below the plane of the top of the side cams. The onward movement of the cam-carrier is continued until it has made somewhat more than a complete revolutionthat is, slightly passed its starting-point. As the needles in the part of the cylinder are successively thrown up to the top of the side cams said needles (not being supported by the lingers or bits) are pressed by the springs back out of action with the knitting-cams. A

p reverse movement is then imparted to the camcarrier, the cams g g' in this movement not act- 1 ing to rotate the ratchet mechanism, the .arms

merely returning into engagement with the portionsr of the cams. A trifle more than a comin the part .fr being thereupon moved out of IOO Irl;

operative position similarly to the others. The direction of movement of the carrier is again reversed, and while it is passing the part tween the inclines of the cam-ring e2 and the x :c of the cylinder the ratchet mechanism is operated as before to move the segment and the fingers down another step, thereby throwing the first fingers z' in the graded sets respectively to or below the plane of the top of the side cams. Consequently in the next or back stroke of the knitting-cams the needles supported by said iingers are thrown out of action. In like mannerin each reciprocation e., two strokes) of the cam-carrier a needle in each of the series 3 l t 2 is thrown out of action, thereby effecting a narrowing of the web, as hereinbefore explained. When the narrowing is completed, the pawl p is thrown out of action and the pawl p into action, whereupon the cam-carrier is reciprocated in the same manner as before. The active pawl in its movement rotates the ratchet P, thereby th rough the intermediate gearing raising step by step the segment and the fingers or bits.

The needles are-thus returned in inverse order t-o their first or active position to effect a widening of the web corresponding with the narrowing thereof. The purpose of the lost motion above mentioned in the cams g g is to prevent their double action on the arms O O during each reciprocation of the carriage, so that the active pawl does not move the ratchet-wheel during the reverse stroke of the carriage. Thus, for example, if the cam g were tixed upon the shaft, the engaged end of the arm O would move by way of the part r3 into engagement with the part r of the cam at the completion of the forward stroke of the cam, and consequently the end of said arm immediately upon the reverse stroke of vthe cam would ride down upon the portion r3 into re-engagement with the part r2, and thereby again actuate the arm O and its connections. By virtue of the lost motion, however, the end of the arm O does not at the end of the forward stroke engage the part r, but rests upon the part r2. In the reverse stroke the end of said arm rides successively upon the parts 12,7, and t' of the cam and abuis against the part r3 thereof. In the next forward stroke of the cam the shaft obviously makes a slight movement before the cam is operated, whereupon the end of the arm rides upon the parts r, r', and r2 of the cam, as before. The action of the cam g and its connections is the same as that of the cam and its adjuncts just stated. It will be observed that the face of the upper V-cam e of the knitting-cams is set a trilie back of the faces of the other cams and that when the needles are thrown back out of action, as above explained, their heels while just clearing the face of the V-cam projects slightly over the upper edges of the side cams. (See Figs. l and 6.) Consequently during the rotation of the knitting-cams the inactive needles are positively prevented by the side cams from `der in its vertical adjustment.

dropping down in the elongated cylindrical grooves.

In order that the usual gaps or spaces berespective side cams shall be closed alter- `nately during the reciprocation of the camcylinder-that is to say, that the leading or forward gap (which is idle) shall be closed during each stroke-I provide said ring with a flange e3, which is maintained against'the bottom of l the annulus D by means of screws d passing 'into the latter through elongated slots e4 in the flange. This flanOe is in frictional conv tact with the bed-plate C of the machine, as seen in Figs. l, 5, and 6, so that when the cam-carrier is turned in one direction the ring e2 drags, thereby eecting the desired result. (See Fig. 7.) Of course the action of v the needle-heels on the rear or active incline of'. the ring serves also to move back the ring. By closing the leading gap in this way liability of the needles accidentally entering the same is prevented.

Interposed between the top of the annulus and the contiguous shoulder of the cylinder F is a thin steel ring S, which is provided with inprojecting studs or teats S', that register with the grooves in the needle-cylinder, and thereby keep the ring stationary during the revolving of the cam-carriage. The under side of this ring receives the impact of the l needle-heels in their upward throw, thus preventing undue wearing of the cylinder by the action of said heels, and the inprojecting studs serve as positive stops to guard against t-he jumping of the inthrown or idle needles. (See Figs. 5 and 6.)

As a simple and efficient means whereby the needle-cylinder may be adjustably supported in respect to the cam-carrier, I fix to the lower end of said cylinder a ring T, and provide the latter with a depending screw t, which projects into and through a suitable perforation in the extension m of the bracket M, the screw being equipped with a nut t', that is maintained in an offset or rei cess in the extension, whereby when said nut is properly manipulated the cylinder may be nicely adj usted vertically. Thus a change in Y the size of the stitches may be readily effected. lFixed to the under side of the bed-plate C is a depending bracket U, which takes against the plain peripheral portion of the needlecylinder. This bracket is provided with an elongated slot u, through which extends into y the cylinder a set-screw u', which is loosened preparatory to the adjustment of the cylinder; but after such adjustment has been made the screw is tightened, so as to secure the cylinr der firmly in position. The face of the bracket,

IOO

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needles, a cam-carrier, and its cams, of a series ot' sliding bits or lingers of varying lengths constructed to work inthe same planes as the needles and adapted to maintain a predetermined number of said needles conditionally in active position, and means for operating said bits or fingers simultaneously, whereby when the bits or fingers are operated the planes of certain needle-heels are successively changed, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a needle-bed, its needles, a camscarrier, and its cams, of vertically-movable bits or fingers arranged in sets or series in the rear of certain needles, inpressing devices acting upon the latter, a common supporting device for said bits or ngers, and mechanism for operating said supporting device step by step, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a needle-bed, its

p needles, a cam-carrier, and its cams, of vertically-movable bits or fingers arranged in sets or series in the rear of certain needles, in* pressing devices acting upon thelatter, acommon supporting device for said bits or fingers, a rack, a pinion, its shaft, ratchet devices on said shaft, a cam device connected with the driving shaft of the machine, connecting means therefor, and coacting pawl-andlever mechanism intermediate said cam device and the ratchet devices, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a needle-bed and its needles, of spring-actuated inpressing devices supported upon the ribs of said bed to bear upon the shanlrs ot the needles, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a needlebed, its needles, and the elastic needle-retaining band, of yoke-shaped wire devices suspended upon the ribs of said bed at points above the needle-rotating band, whereby the parallel members of said devices are pressed against the needle-shanks, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a needle-bed, its needles, a cam-carrier audits cams, the face ring interposed between said annulus andV cam-cylinder, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the needle-bed, its needles, the cam-cylinder, the annulus therein, the knitting-cams on said annulus, and the ring interposed between said annulus and cam-cylinder, said ring provided with inprojecting studs -or teats which register with the grooves in the needle-bed, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the cam-carrier and its cams, the lower ring-cam of said cams being loosely supported on said carrier, so as to be partially rotatable, substantially as described.

lO. The combination of the bed-plate ot' the machine, the needle-bed, its needles, the camcylinder, the annulus therein, and the knitting-cams on said annulus, the lower ring-cam being loosely supported on said annulus in frictional contact with the base-plate, substantially as described.

ll. The combination of the bed-plate of the machine, the slotted bracket depending therefrom, the set-screw u', the needle-cylinderengaged by said screw, the adjusting-screw't, connected with said cylinder, the supportingbracket M, through which the latter screw extends, and a nut on this screw mounted in a recess in the bracket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 12th day of May, A. D. 1891.

WILLIAM H. ZELLERS.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN, JOSHUA PUsEY.

Correotion iin Letters Patent No.A 476,110.

It is hereby certified-that in Letters Patent No. l176,110, granted May 31, 18512, upon the application of William H. Zellers, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for an improvev ment in GireularKnittng Machines,77 an error appears in the printed specification requiring the following correction, Viz.: 1n line 4:1, page 5, the word ,rotatingmshould read retaining,- and that `the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Ofoe.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1893.

[SEAL] GYRUS BUSSEY,

' Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Countersignerl W. E. SIMONDS,

Comnn'ssione@a of Patents. 

